bodily strength on one hand, and the agility of a cat on the other. He
stood fully six feet three inches high, and weighed from fifteen to sixteen
stones, presenting one of the finest gigantic models of the human frame
ever seen, with a countenance free, open, and pleasant to look upon.
Possessing a good reach of arm, and such formidable power in the
shoulders, that in the act of wrestling he invariably beat his elbows into
the ribs of an opponent--which vice-like pressure was so terrific in its
results, and became so well known, that many strong men were glad to get to
the ground, in order to escape his punishing hug. Had these natural
advantages been supplemented with shrewdness and good generalship, capable
of estimating the different points of an adversary--indispensable
requisites to the finished wrestler--he would have been more than a match,
the best of five or seven falls, for any man in the kingdom. One who knew
him well, once laconically described him as: "A greit thumpin', giant like
fellow; varra strang i' th' arm, but rayder wake i' th' brains!"
In his prime, Weightman proved himself to be a clever leaper, either at
long length or running high leap--"cat gallows." Many tales are current at
Hayton and the neighbourhood of his clearing five-barred gates with the
greatest ease. He once leapt over a restless black mare, sixteen hands
high, which belonged to Sir James Graham of Edmond Castle; then turned
round, and with another short run, went over again from the reverse side.
Sir James was so delighted with this display of agility, that he presented
the performer with half a guinea.
When a young man, Weightman was as full of tricks of a "daft-like"
character as ever mortal was, the recital of one or two of which may serve
to illustrate his great strength and recklessness. Once upon a time, in
passing through a toll-gate, he said to the keeper of it: "Ye divvent mak'
ony charge, div ye, for what a man carries on his back?" "Oh dear, no, by
no means!" was the ready reply. "Than here goes, my canny bairn!" cried
Weightman, and presently the toll-collector was astonished to see him
stalking through the gate, with a strong-built pony strung across his
shoulders!
A still "dafter" trick than the foregoing is told of him on another
occasion, when he carried a donkey on his shoulders up stairs into a
"loft," where a numerous body of lads and lasses were capering away at
dancing; placed the "cuddy" in the midst of them; and nearly frightened the
wits out of some of the "flayter sooart o' lasses!"
Paradoxical as it may seem, Weightman was a remarkably light and graceful
dancer; indeed so much so, that he could trip through the mazes of a dance
with as much ease and nimbleness as any slim built youth in his teens. He
had a very small and neat foot, which circumstance may in some measure
account for his remarkable activity.
As an athlete, Weightman won his first prize on the village green of
Wetheral, about the year 1814, being then under twenty years old; and
continued to carry off first honours from the same place for seven years in
succession. In his twenty-third year, and while making himself a name as
the champion of several minor rings, he was matched on Brampton Sands, to
wrestle a man named Routledge, of "Clocky mill," the best of three falls,
for two guineas a side. The miller was big, bony, and strong, and so far
was formidable; but being both numb and faint-hearted, Weightman easily
fettled him off in the two first falls.
During Weightman's whole wrestling career, he never had a more steadfast
friend or admirer than Dr. Tinling of Warwick-bridge. The doctor had no
doubt formed a correct estimate of the young giant's powers, and saw
clearly enough that if they were only exercised with ordinary care and
skill, no man living had any chance of throwing him a series of falls. "Th'
auld doctor could mak' him owther win or lose, varra nar as he hed a mind,"
said a clever light weight wrestler, with a shrug of the shoulders.
Notwithstanding the facility with which prizes _might_ have been gained, it
was only on some occasions that Weightman attended the great annual
gathering at Carlisle, and it was a much rarer event for him to go far from
home to contend. However, in the early part of his career, he once wandered
away to Egremont Crab Fair, and entered his name among the West Cumbrians.
He was thrown there, by Ford of Ravenglass, a good hearted wrestler,
standing six feet two inches, and weighing fifteen stones. On another
occasion, in his young days, he went with Dr. Tinling to Newcastle, and won
the wrestling there; his patron, the doctor, being overjoyed at his
success. The prize was a handsome silver watch.
Ford and Weightman were drawn together again, in the fourth round, for the
head prize entry at Carlisle in 1821, when the same luck attended Ford as
had done at the previous tussle. For the second prize at Carlisle, however,
Weightman turned the tables upon the powerful West Cumbrian, by throwing
him so ridiculously high in the air, that one of the spectators declared
that "his legs seemed to touch the clouds!" Joseph Abbot, from the
neighbourhood of Bampton, near Shap, a broad set, powerful man, contested
the final fall with Weightman. At that time, "Joe was a greit hand for
rivin' doon at th' gurse, an' crazy mad he was when he lost."
Weightman not being satisfied with his success in contending for the head
prize on the Swifts in 1821, a match was arranged to come off between him
and the winner of the same--William Richardson of Caldbeck--for five
guineas, on the Eden-side cricket ground, Carlisle, in the month of October
following. Between four and five thousand people gathered together to
witness the contest. There existed a great difference in the age of the two
men: the Caldbeck hero being on the shady side of forty, and Weightman only
twenty-six. The one might be called a veteran, and the other said to be in
the prime of life. The younger man had the advantage, likewise, in weight
by a stone or more; in height, by fully four inches and a half; and was
naturally endowed with far more suppleness and activity. A considerable
time elapsed before they could agree about holds; and yet, no sooner was
this preliminary effected, than the champion of two hundred rings went down
like a shot, and without appearing to have the least shadow of a chance.
After the fall, the winner was so elated with success that he cut all sorts
of ridiculous capers, and kept leaping backwards and forwards, over two or
three chairs or forms which chanced to be standing in the ring, after the
manner of school boys at their sports. The second fall was nearly a
fac-simile of the first; and if Weightman could only have taken things more
coolly and waited his time, the chances were a hundred to one that he would
have been hailed victor. Instead of this--through Richardson's dilatoriness
in taking hold, and otherwise delaying over trifling things--Weightman
fairly lost temper, threatened and coerced in various ways, and finally
shook his fist in Richardson's face.
Some of the onlookers, sympathizing with the elder man, commenced a
vigorous attack of hooting, on which Weightman turned his backside to the
spectators in a saucy and defiant manner. After this open display of
insolence a tragic finale seemed imminent. The ring was broken up in an
instant; and the roughs of the crowd, headed by the notorious Tom Ridley,
soon worked themselves into a state of furious excitement. They made a
rush at the delinquent, some dealing out blows with their fists, while
others kept up a constant shower of sods and such like missiles; nearly
tore the shirt from the back of their victim; and finally forced him
savagely through a thorn hedge on the top of the bank. In describing the
_melée_ which took place, Weightman himself said: "Yan shootit, 'Tek th'
watter, Weetman!'--anudder shootit, 'Tek th' dyke, thoo greit gowk,
thoo!'--bit I niver kent reetly whoar I was, till I fund mysel' on Eden
brig, wid Gwordie Maut[12] leadin' me seàfly by the hand. I varily
believe," added he, "'at Gwordie Maut seàv't mee life!"
Preliminary to this affair, and quite in keeping with its general
character, it may be stated that on the morning of the match, as Weightman
was riding into Carlisle on a spirited "black-brown" mare, which belonged
to his uncle, he threw the money down on the ground, due for passing
through the toll-gate at the foot of Botchergate. This Mr. Rayson, the
keeper, refused to pick up. Getting annoyed at the delay which ensued, and
in order to clear the way, Weightman struck at Rayson across the shoulders
with his whip, and then leapt clean over the gate. For this offence he was
taken to the police office in Scotch Street, from which place his friends,
after some difficulty, managed to get him liberated, by paying a fine of
forty shillings.
Immediately after the unsatisfactory termination of this match, Weightman
issued a challenge to wrestle "any man in Cumberland the best of five
falls, for fifteen or twenty guineas." No one came forward to take up the
gauntlet thus thrown down; and although, up to this date, Weightman had not
won any prize of importance, nevertheless an impression had gone abroad
that he was a formidable customer to meet in a number of rounds.
The year 1822 was a very chequered one in Weightman's career, suffering in
it, as he did, so many minor defeats. An account of his adventures, so far
as they are known to us, and are noted in the local papers, may help to
illustrate in some measure both his weakness and his strength. In the month
of May, Forster of Penton threw him at Kirkbampton, after a very fine and
severe struggle. At Micklethwaite races, near Wigton, in June, he was
defeated by Jonathan Watson of Torpenhow; and at Durdar, by James Graham of
The Rigg, Kirklinton.
On the Monday of one of the weeks in July, he won the belt at the New Inn,
Armathwaite, finally throwing John Peel. On Wednesday afternoon, he went in
company with his friend, Bill Gaddes, to Hesket-i'-the-Forest, and carried
off a silver cup and half a guinea, for which there was no sport, "none of
the faint-hearted youths daring to contend with him." At Plumpton races,
the same evening, he was thrown with ease by a youth of eighteen, named
Launcelot Graham of Hutton-end; but succeeded in getting the belt for the
last eight standers--he and Thomas Peat tossing up for it, after
endeavouring for nearly half an hour to get into holds. On the Thursday of
the same week, he won the first prize of half a guinea at Stoneraise.
At Keswick in August, he was fairly capsized by William Cass of Loweswater,
in the last round but one of the first day's sport; and on the second day,
through the wet and slippery state of the ground, he was again brought to
grief, in the final fall, by Jonathan Watson. During the same month, at
Wigton races, he carried off the first day's prize of two guineas, in grand
style; Tom Richardson, the Dyer, being second. The prize at Great Barrock
races also went to Hayton.
At the Carlisle races, held in September, worse luck followed Weightman in
contending for the head prize than had done on the previous year--being
thrown in the first round by John Fearon of Gilcrux. This unfortunate
defeat, however, was the means of arousing the lion in him; and for the
second prize "he just bash't them doon as fast as he com at them." The last
standers were Clayton of Dovenby, Robert Watters, and Joseph Graham of
Dufton: Weightman receiving four guineas as his share, and Graham two
guineas as second stander.
In August, 1823, Weightman carried off the second day's prize of three
pounds, at the Keswick regatta, disposing of William Sands of Whitehaven in
the final fall.
Following immediately after, came the great annual gathering at Carlisle,
where it was publicly announced: "If wrestlers don't take hold within half
a minute after peeling, the fall to be given to the one most willing to
commence playing." William Litt, the author of _Wrestliana_, was chosen
umpire. Weightman, the favourite at starting, was in grand "fettle;" looked
fresh and ruddy, without carrying an ounce of superfluous flesh; and by the
cool and determined way he began each round, evidently meant winning. In
the third time over, he brought James Robinson quickly to his knees; in the
fourth, John Hudless; in the fifth, John Allison; and in the sixth, was
fortunate enough to be odd man. Then came the final struggle with John
Robson of Irthington mill, who tried hard to "bear the prize away;" but his
struggling was of no avail, for at each move Weightman kept gathering him
up and improving his grip, and it soon became the miller's turn to drop
powerless to mother earth, in like manner to those compeers who had fallen
before.
The following sketch of Weightman appeared in the columns of the
_Cumberland Pacquet_, and is supposed to be from the pen of William Litt.
"As for the victor, Weightman, he is to a stranger a complete puzzle. To
judge from the almost universal disrepute with which he is regarded in
Carlisle and its vicinity, you expect to behold in him every
personification of a finished blackguard; but the very first glance is
sufficient to stagger any ideal opinion respecting him. I never saw a man
of equal birth and education, that had so much of the gentleman in his
appearance, and there is, even in his conversation, an unassuming mildness
equally striking. As a wrestler, if much cannot be said of his science, his
_powers_ will not be limited by those who have either tried or seen him
wrestle:--for, to cut the matter short, I do not think there is a man in
the world possessing any chance with him, the best of five or seven falls.
His behaviour in the ring was strictly correct; but such is the general
opinion of his powers, that though the wrestling was never previously
surpassed, yet the almost certainty of his winning greatly allayed that
anxiety for the final result which is essential for creating and keeping
awake the interest which the scene usually excites."
A letter appeared in the columns of the _Carlisle Journal_, dated September
16th, 1823, touching facetiously upon a point which, in later years, has
been successfully carried out. The writer says:--
SIR,--As a great admirer of athletic sports, I always
make a point of being present at the wrestling at our
races, but being "small of stature," I frequently miss
a good deal of the sport. To gain a complete view I
should willingly pay a small sum, and I have no doubt
if those concerned in the management of the sports
would provide seats for those willing to pay, that they
would be soon filled, and the funds be materially
increased, as well as a great convenience granted to me
and those of my fellow creatures who have not the good
fortune to be above six feet. I am, Sir, &c.,
JOHN _LITTLE_.
About this date, it was currently reported that Weightman had engaged to go
to London to undertake the duties of porter at Carlton Palace. No finer
looking man could have been selected for this post, but it was not his luck
to exchange the bleak north for such desirable quarters. Had he been
removed to so aristocratic an atmosphere, it is more than probable that his
hot Border blood would have led him into no end of difficulties; as it did,
for instance, at the magistrates' office in Carlisle, when he quarrelled
over a disputed fall in the wrestling ring, with a big burly fellow, named
Tom Hodgson from Wigton. During the trial, Weightman lost all control over
his temper, and swore eighteen or nineteen times, although reprimanded for
his profanity again and again. On being told that the magistrates intended
to fine him a shilling for each and every oath he had sworn, in accordance
with an old act recorded in the statute books, he exclaimed: "Fine me for
ivery oath I've sworn? That's a bonny go! Wey, I med as weel mak' it _an
even pund_, than!" And accordingly he did so.
In the autumn of 1824, the two sons of Henry Howard of Corby Castle--Philip
and Henry Francis--drove in a pony-phæton to Hayton, and asked for
Weightman. When they arrived, he was "hard at wark plewin', in a field
behint the hoose." Meanwhile, his mother--good soul--not knowing well how
to show the greatest amount of civility to her visitors, invited them, in
homely phraseology, to "a sup milk, an' a bite o' breid an' cheese." When
Weightman made his appearance, he was pressed to attend the forthcoming
wrestling meeting on Penrith fell, which he consented to do after some
persuasion. Accordingly, he put in an appearance at the races held at
Penrith early in October, where a large muster of first-rate men had
assembled. Weightman, however, naturally anticipating onlookers with
friendly feelings, from Corby and Greystoke castles, had come with a fixed
determination to carry off the head prize against all comers. Putting his
full powers into play, therefore, whenever he was called into the ring, man
after man fell before his slaughtering attacks, in an astonishingly brief
space of time; leaving Joseph Abbot of Bampton, second stander. And so
delighted was the young heir of Corby with Weightman's achievements, that
he brought the victor with him in his carriage from Penrith to Warwick
Bridge.
The annual wrestling meeting on the Swifts at Carlisle, in September, 1825,
says a local report of that date, "was attended, as usual, by myriads of
country people, for whom this manly amusement appears to have charms quite
unknown to the degenerate race pent up within the walls of smoky and
enervating towns. The ring was under the entire management of Mr. Henry
Pearson, and the most complete order prevailed. It is calculated that from
twelve to fifteen thousand persons were lookers-on at the first-day's
sports." The first prize was eight guineas; and one guinea was given to the
last thrown man, or second stander. Among other well known wrestlers who
attended, and whose names are not mentioned hereafter, may be noted, John
Robson, Jonathan Watson, Tom Richardson, George Irving, William Earl,
Joseph Abbot, and Wilfrid Wright. Weightman, for the second time, carried
off first honours, with great ease: all efforts put forth to stop his
onward career being futile and unavailing in the extreme. In the third
round, he met Dan Burgh of Crookdale-hall; and in the fourth, Thomas Miller
of Crookdykes. In the fifth round, James Graham of Kirklinton laid down,
because, (as the victor slyly remarked,) "he kent it was neà use
russellin'!" In the sixth round, Weightman was lucky enough to be odd man;
while, in the final fall, the perfidious tricks and sturdy attacks of Jacob
Armstrong availed him nothing--for quick as thought his various moves were
frustrated, and he was sent to grass, sprawling on his back, in a style
which neither he nor any of his partisans had anticipated.
In the following year, 1826, Weightman was again the successful competitor
for the head prize in the Carlisle ring. He was opposed, from the second
round, by the following wrestlers, namely, Thomas Lawman, Wilfrid Wright,
John Robson of Irthington mill, Joseph Robley, and George Irving. The
description given in the _Carlisle Patriot_ of the event, is curious as
being the production of one to whom the North Country sport was evidently a
novelty, and on that account it may be worth quoting. The writer says:--
"The wrestling on Wednesday, attracted thousands upon
thousands of country people, to witness their favourite
sport. The play, according to pully-hauley critics, was
scientifically excellent. The men squeezed, nipped,
buttocked, etc., in the most charming style; and great
was the applause of the vast mass congregated around
the ring, when some sturdy athlete measured his long
length on the ground. On the first day, the grand
contest lay between the celebrated Robson, a fine young
fellow of about twenty-two, weighing fifteen stone, ten
pounds, and the still more celebrated Weightman, also a
young man, but of more experience, and five pounds
heavier than the weighty Robson. This pair of modern
Ajaxes stood up nobly to each other. 'A breathless
silence (says a spectator) reigned throughout the
ring.... They laid hold like men--like true
athletæ--each confident in his own powers. The struggle
begins--now--now--now--huzza! the invincible Weightman
is again victorious! Honour and glory once more for the
East of Cumberland!!' So says our scientific
informant--but not so Mr. Hercules Robson and his
friends. They declared that the fall was not a fair
one, and the mighty business of the ring was for a
while suspended; but the umpire, Mr. Todd, and a great
majority of the spectators decided otherwise--and
Weightman soon finished the game, and pocketed the
first prize, by finally laying low the able-bodied
George Irving."
In spite of the umpire's decision, Robson and his friends continued to harp
on about what they called the unfairness of the fall on the Swifts, until
they issued a challenge to the effect that Robson was prepared to wrestle
Weightman for £20,--which was readily accepted by the latter. According to
agreement, the two men met about three weeks after, in Crosby Willows, a
meadow near Low Crosby, which turned out a hollow affair after all, nothing
really occurring, except several tedious attempts to get into holds. While
the rain was pouring in torrents, and the spectators becoming restless at
the absence of sport, an amicable finale was ultimately arrived at by
Robson shouting across the ring: "We'll russel neà farther, Weetman, i'
this doon-pour o' rain. Cu' thy ways here, my lad, an' I'll gie the' a leg
on to my nag." Weightman offering no opposition to this proposal, the two
were soon mounted, and rode together to a neighbouring house of
refreshment, where a few friendly glasses passed between them, which
probably helped to fill up the existing breach. In after years, Weightman
always spoke of Robson with much respect, describing him as "a canny weel
donn't lad, an' a varra gud russeller."
Robson, who excelled principally as a "hyper," measured six feet two inches
in height, and increased in weight and bulk, year by year, until at the age
of twenty-four he weighed as many stones as he numbered years. He died
young--in March, 1830--his coffin being so large that it was impossible to
get it into the room where the corpse lay, without taking the window out.
He had a narrow escape from being robbed about three years before his
death. Returning from Carlisle, some highwaymen attacked him while passing
through the woods between Corby and Ruel Holme. He, however, got clear off
from the miscreants, and arrived at home without harm or loss of property,
although he was fired at in making his escape.
Weightman won twice at Melmerby Rounds, getting a guinea and the belt each
time, the usual award to the victor. On one of these occasions, when
returning home through the village of Cumrew, his companions and he being
fresh in drink, smashed a window to atoms, and had fifteen shillings to pay
for their wanton mischief.
At Penrith in 1827, it was generally expected that Weightman would be the
victor, but it turned out otherwise. He was thrown in the fourth round by a
mere stripling, under twenty years of age, named John Loy, who, it is only
fair to state, gained the fall in rather a surreptitious manner.
Weightman's own account of the affair was this: "A bit iv a lad stept oot
of a corner o' the ring, an' _pretendit_ he wasn't gaen to russel; but
aw at yance, t' lal taistral snapt't, an' bash't me doon iv a varra
nasty fashion."
During the same year, William Cass of Loweswater, the winner at Carlisle in
1822, challenged any man in the north to wrestle a match for twenty
guineas. In reply to this challenge, Weightman sent the following letter to
the editor of the _Cumberland Pacquet_:--
SIR,--In reply to the challenge of Mr. Cass, given in
your paper of last week, to wrestle any man in
Cumberland, Westmorland, or Lancashire, for twenty
guineas, I beg to inform him through the same medium,
that I and my friends will be at the Duke's Head Inn,
Scotch-street, Carlisle, at two o'clock in the
afternoon of Saturday, October the 27th, where I hope
his friends will meet us to arrange preliminaries and
deposit the money.--I remain, Sir, yours very
respectfully,
JOHN WEIGHTMAN.
The wrestling world in the northern counties looked forward to this match
with intense interest, but Cass thought backing out to be safer policy than
encountering an opponent so formidable.